This Public Private Partnership aims to enhance broiler health and welfare by studying the pathogenesis of Enterococcus cecorum and evaluating prevention strategies. It focuses on bacterial distribution, gut integrity, pathogen interactions, and host responses. Intervention strategies include improved gut health through novel incubation, early feeding, and feed supplements. Expected outcomes are reduced colonization, better gut health, lower mortality, improved feed conversion, reduced antibiotic use, and economic sustainability, aligning with the One Health approach.

This Public Private Partnership project aims to improve broiler health and welfare through the gathering of knowledge on pathogenesis and testing of interventions for the high impact disease problem of E. cecorum infections affecting chickens and especially broilers worldwide. We will focus on early life and investigate the efficacy of different perinatal interventions and their mode of action to reduce the impact on gut health, welfare and environmental footprint by reduction of lameness, mortality and increase feed conversion.
The in-depth study of the pathogenesis of E. cecorum will be investigated in commercial broilers alongside SPF broilers that were previously used to set up the challenge model. This will enable direct translation to the field. Different aspects of the pathogenesis will be investigated:
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The spatiotemporal distribution of the bacteria in the intestinal tract and systemic tissues,
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The effect of impaired gut health and integrity on translocation of bacteria,
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The influence of E. cecorum on the microbiome,
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The combined effects of the above on the host responses in the intestine studied by transcriptomics.

Deliverables
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E. cecorum model to assess managerial and nutritional interventions in broiler chicken.
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In depth knowledge on E. cecorum pathogenesis.
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Putative strategies to improve resilience and target E. cecorum to mitigate disease in broilers, reduce antibiotic usage.
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Knowledge valorisation and dissemination to the poultry farmers and associated industry, veterinarians, and the scientific community.